Pulling device



J. D. OTTO PULLING DEVIC Sept. 2, 1930.

Filed May 14, 1928 Patented Sept. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES JOHN D. OTTO, F GALVA, IOWA PULLING DEVICE Application filed May 14,

My invention comprises a puller, which can be used Jfor pulling a variety of articles, but is particularly adapted tor pulling metal fence posts from the ground.

6 A particular object of my invention is to provide such a puller having a standard and article engaging means arranged to travel in a path spaced laterally from the standard, which path is free from any other pro- 10 jecting parts of the puller, and to provide means mounted on the standard for operating the article engaging means in such manner that the article to be pulled, such as a post, may be gripped, and the article engaging means may then be pulled with tremendous power for moving the post or the like for a short distance, and then the article engaging means can be slid along the post to a new engaging or gripping position.

Another important object oi the present invention is to provide such an article engaging means, which includes aV pair of jaws pivotally mounted on a plate or equivalent support, and having projecting ends to which are pivoted the lower ends of arms, which arms are in turned pivoted at their upper ends to a lever tulcrumed on the standard.

Another object is to provide a structure of the kind just mentioned in 'which the weight of the plate tends to move the post to article engaging position.

Still another object is to provide such a structure in which the arms are pivoted to the lever to permit the swinging of the plate and the jaws mounted thereon toward and from the standard.

An additional object is to'provide in such a puller means tending to yieldingly swing the article engaging device away from the standard, so that when the standard is placed in proper position with relation to a post and parallel therewith, the last-mentioned means will tend to yieldingly press the article engaging means against the post, whereby the article engaging means can be slid up and down the post for pulling the post a certain distance during the operative stroke of the lever, and for sliding the article engaging means to another position during the return stroke of the lever, and whereby dur- 1928. Serial No. 277,576.

ing such return stroke, the grip of the article engaging means on the post will be automatically released.

This application is in part a continuation of my application, Serial No. 256,012, tiled February 21, 1928.

Tvil/lith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my pulling device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my im proved pulling device arranged in operative position with relation to a post to be pulled.

Figure 2 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of FigureV 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that oi' Figure 2 with the post engaging jaws in inoperative position.

Figure 4: is a detail, sectional view taken on the line l--fi ot' Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the plate on which the jaws are pivoted, illustrating particularly the back side ot the plate.

In the drawings herewith, I have illustrated a form in which my invention may be embodied.

I provide a standard comprising the upright member indicated by the reference nu mer-al 10. The standard 10 has a suitable base 12, which is provided on what may be called the iront side of the pulling device with a recess 14, so that the base may be set in position where the post 16 to be pulled is received in the recess 14.

While the standard l() illustrated as being made ot a piece of tubular pipe, it may be understood that it may be made of angle bar or bars or of any material, and in any form suitable for the purpose.

The base'12 is preferably beveled as indi* cated at 18 to permit it to be conveniently slid under woven wire fencing or the like.

Pivoted to the upper end oi the standard 10 is lever 20. Pivoted to the short end of the lever 2O are down hanging arms 22,

which diverge at their lower ends as shown in Figure 2.

The pivot pin 9A at the upper ends oi the arms 22 is so arranged that the arms 22 swing toward and troni the standard l0.

l provide in my pulling device an article gripjjiing` or engaging means. rlie article engaging means includes a plate 2G, in the front tace of which is a vertical groove 28 adapted to receive the vertical tlaiige itl ot the post 16 already mentioned.

Pivotally mounted on the tioiit ltace ot the plate Q6 are members 3() having at their inner ends the coacting corrugated jaws 32. These jaws 32 are slightly curved as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

The lower ends ot' the arms Q2 are pivoted to the outer ends ot the members 30. The parts are shaped and constructed so that when the levei 2O is manipulated 'roi' reciprocating the plate 26, that plate can slide or reciprocate in a plane parallel with the vertical axis oi the standard l0.

rhis result may be accomplished by bending the arms Q2 slightly indicated at 22a in Figure l.

Supported on the standard l a spring A, preferably having a coil portion l/ladjacent to the standard l() and a slightly' curved portion 3G extending away therefrom. The portion 3G ot the spring A. is extended slidably through a suitable guide or guides 38 on the plate The portion 3G stands in a vertical plane when the standard l() is upright, and the guide means 3S are so arranged as to hold the plate 26 against lateral swinging movement.

This arrangement and construction of parts serves to accomplish the purpose ot holding the plate 26 in such position that the members tend to be normally held at the saine angles Yith relation to the respective arms 22.

As a result, the jaws tend to be held in proper position with relation to the post lt, which being pulled or is about to be pull d.

In the practical use ot my improved pulling device tor pulling posts. such as the post 1G, the standard l0 is placed on the ground adjacent to the post. as illustrated tor instance in Figures l, 2 and 4. The parts will then be iii position, such that the vertical flange 1G ot the post will project into the groove 9.8 and thus stand between the aws Assuming that the plate QG is at the lower position ot its movement and that the jaws have been spread sutliciently to receive the flange 16 ot the post, then when the lever 2O is operated to pull the plate 9.6 upwardly, the jai 's 32 will engage and tightly grip the flange 1G ot the post.

The parts are so arranged that the members 30 having at their inner ends the jaws 32 are inclined upwardly and toward each other trom their outer pivot pins 30a, by

which they aie pivoted to the lower ends ol the arms 22.

The weight ot the plate 26 tends to move the jaws to engaging position.

The spring A serves a double function. Primarily it tends to yieldingly press the plate. toward the post, so that it holds the plate against the post during the reciprocating movement ot' the plate when the lever is operated. This is a matter ot great importance, because the spring il thus serves to hold the plate against thc post at all times, so that the article engaging means can not swing away from the post during its reciprocatioii from gripping position to a new gripping position.

The spring also serves the purpose oi causing a binding slightly on the plate and ot' causing the plate to bind slightly on the post. rllhns there is created enough resistance to the movement ot the arms 22 in response to the action ot the lever 2O to insure the movenient ot the jaws to gripping position.

t is thus clear that with a device ot this kind the article engaging means can operate on a post spaced laterally 'from the pulling device and the jaws can be caused to engage the post, pull it upwardly a short distance,

and can then be slid down the post, during which movement they automatically disengage the post, and the pulling operation can be repeated. and this cycle ot operations can be carried on until the post is pulled out ol the ground.

While l have illustrated my device in the torni iii which it is constructed 'for pulling posts, it will be seen that it could be used tor pulling other articles lengthwise or vertically or horizontally or otherwise, and by changing the parts slightly could be employed l'or a great variety ot purposes.

l claim as my invention:

l. In a pulling machine, a standard. a lever tulcruined on the standard, a plate, members pi votally mounted on said plate having gripping jaws, arms pivotally connected to said lever and to said members adapted to transmit movement ot said lever to said members, and guide means su pportcd on the standard serving to yieldiiigly engagil said plate to hohl it against the article to be pulled during reciprocation ot the lever.

2. ln a puller, a standard. a lever pivotcd thereon, arms pivoted to said lever, article engaging means carried by said arms, comprising a plate, a pair of members pivoted on the plate having adjacent jaws, and havingl parts pivoted to said arms, whereby the means may be reciprocatei'l by action ot the lever ior successively gri pping an article at dilierent points in its length and pulling the article lengthwise, and means carried by the standard for yieldingly holding the means against such article.

3. In a puller, a standard, a lever pivoted i. connection with the spring,

thereon, a plate, members pivotally mounted on said plate having gripping jaws, arms pivoted to said lever and to the respective members for transmitting movement of the lever to the members, and a spring mounted on the standard, said plate having a sliding connection with the spring.

Il. In a puller, a standard, a. lever pivoted thereon, a plate, members pivotally mounted on said plate having gripping jaws, arms pivoted to said lever and to the respective members for transmitting movement of the levers to the members, and a spring mounted on the standard, said plate having a sliding whereby the plate is guided and is yieldingly pressed against the article to be pulled.

5. In a post puller, a standard, a lever pivoted thereon, arms pivoted on the lever,

, a plate, jaws pivoted on the plate and pivoted -to the arms, whereby the arms may be moved for moving the jaws to position for gripping an article spaced laterally from the standard, and the lever may then be further manipulated for pulling the article, and for then sliding` the jaws along the article to a new gripping position, and yielding means tending to hold the plate adjacent to such article.

6. In a post puller, a standard, a lever pivoted thereon, arms pivoted to the lever to swing toward and from the standard, a plate, members pivoted to the plate, having adja cent ends formed with jaws and outwardly projecting ends pivoted to the respectiveV arms, whereby the arms may be moved for moving the jaws to position for gripping an article spaced laterally from the standard and extending longitudinally substantially parallel therewith and the lever may then be Vfurther manipulated for pulling the article longitudinally of its axis and for then sliding the jaws along the article to a new gripping position, and means tending to cause the plate to frictionally engage the article and thus to resist the movement of the plate along the article in pulling direction for thus tending to move the aws on their pivots to gripping position.

7. In a pulling machine, a standard, a lever fulcrumed on said standard, a plate, members 30, each having a gripping jaw formed on one of the ends thereof, means for pivotally mounting said members on said plate, arms pivotally connected to said lever and the other ends of said members adapted to trans mit movement of said lever to said members, and resilient means carried by said standard and bearing against said plate, whereby to hold said members in operative position.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 18, 1928i JOHN D. OTTO. 

